Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Monday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow
Snowfall continuous or frequent over the mountains, beware of conditions becoming challenging on higher terrain. At lower elevations falling as rain.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow
Snowfall continuous or frequent over the mountains, beware of conditions becoming challenging on higher terrain. At lower elevations falling as rain.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 16th February 2026
Last updated
Sun 15th Feb 26 at
3:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Snow over northwestern mountains in Scotland will tend to extend further into Lochaber and Cairngorms by afternoon as NW'ly winds strengthen, some hail mixed in. Strong westerlies for England, gale-force on Welsh mountains, heavy showers merging into longer periods rain, snow confined to higher tops.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Increasingly windy and snow develops from northwest afternoon.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 20mph in morning, or less for a time. Increasing during afternoon to 30-35mph, or 40mph up to dusk higher areas. Then after dark during evening, rapid increase to 60mph, gusts 70mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small early in day, becoming increasingly blustery, affecting comfortable walking more with time during afternoon. Wind chill becoming significant. Deteriorating after dark to more severe conditions later evening.
How Wet?
Patchy snow, then snow more widely north/west afternoon.
Scattered showers of snow and hail in the morning, mostly west of the A9. Into afternoon, more frequent snow develops from northwest, more persistent for a time Monadhliath to Ben Alder, later further into north/western Cairngorms, increasingly falling to lower slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive; highest cloud base toward southeast
Cloud base varying, mostly above 800 to 1000m in the morning, some local lower patches for a time, best breaks higher up toward east and south. Lowering in precipitation, to 600-800m, particularly Monadhliath afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sunshine mainly east of Drumochter to Deeside in morning. Very varied visibility; excellent south and east for several hours, but becoming appalling in snow later north/west areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C, dropping toward -4C by late afternoon. Directly in the wind feeling like -15C into afternoon, colder after dark.
Freezing Level
700m, but also frost in some glens in morning, most widely eastern areas. Dropping during afternoon toward 400-500m up to dusk.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 17th February 2026
Last updated
Sun 15th Feb 26 at
3:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 30 to 40mph early morning, risk stronger up to dawn, but dropping, to 20mph, or less during afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Prepare for significant wind chill and challenging walking in exposure early in day, but improving with time.
How Wet?
Precipitation not expected
Cloud on the hills?
Becoming confined to higher areas and increasingly clearing
Cloud fairly extensive in the morning higher Cairngorms and Deeside but patchy elsewhere. By afternoon patches above 750 to 900m, but increasingly only fragments, mostly confined above 1150m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70% by afternoon
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sunshine increasingly. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-5C. Early in day, feeling like -15C directly in the wind, near -20C high tops, easing.
Freezing Level
300m but most terrain frozen: partial thawing lowest particularly sunlit slopes.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 18th February 2026
Last updated
Sun 15th Feb 26 at
3:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 20-25mph. Very gusty, changes in direction and not just high terrain.
Effect of the wind on you?
Uncomfortable wind all day with considerable wind chill - chaotic gusts at many heights will affect stability.
How Wet?
Precipitation unlikely
Cloud on the hills?
Likely little
Banks may drift over the high tops of the Cairngorm plateau but the hills substantially free of cloud.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny, some high cloud around. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4 or -5C. Little or no change with added height. Feeling like -15 to -18C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Terrain likely widely frozen, some light thaws on sun-exposed low slopes.
Planning Outlook
Much terrain frozen into midweek, frost into valleys and glens. Uncertain extent of strengthening winds by Wednesday, and possible snow moving into Wales. Late in the week and through next weekend, a switch to southwesterly winds is expected, bringing a change to milder conditions - lifting above freezing to tops in England and Wales, and generally higher freezing levels in Scotland; periods of thawing likely over the mountains, though some further snowfall at times on higher Munros. Rain most frequent over western hills. Generally windy with upland gales.